February 24th, 2013: The Second Sunday of Lent

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” 

On Sundays, this blog will take a “break” from the normal pattern of Scripture and reflection. This year, our Sunday focus will be the Jesus Prayer. The Orthodox Church has favored this prayer across the centuries both for its ease of use and the amount of truth it contains. It remains an appropriate prayer for Lent, and one that we would do well to use. I’d encourage you to consciously pray this prayer on Sundays, as often as you feel the need; and, perhaps, use it when the last thing you want to do is pray! In this space each week, we’ll discuss a different truth that the prayer teaches us.

This week, let’s think about the title “Lord” that this prayer ascribes to Jesus Christ. Though some may feel that this title is a bit archaic, the word “lord” refers to someone who has power or authority. We still see this in the usage of this title within the UK. But what does it mean to call Jesus “Lord?”

In this prayer, it means that we recognize his position of power and authority over us and our sins. When we pray this prayer, we remove ourselves from the high position that we chase after in our lives, and we put Christ in that place. We also lower ourselves to a humble, flawed position – one of a sinner, in need of help and forgiveness. If we recognize Christ as Lord, then we must stop thinking of ourselves as the boss of our own life. It’s that simple.

This Lent, when you pray this prayer, embrace this movement. When you pray this prayer, you step off the throne of your life, and you raise Christ to that place instead. It’s not easy, and it’s certainly not natural – but it is a correct and a holy thing to do, one that is absolutely necessary for living in Christ’s Kingdom.

“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Advertisements